Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 296
D.O.B. 09.09.1916
First Profession: 01.06.1954
Died: 06.12.1986 Aged: 70 years
Kathleen Keegan came from Ballaghadereen, Co. Roscommon. She was already a trained nurse and midwife when she entered MMM on 15 August 1951. She gave of her best in that profession first in Nigeria (Anua), where she spent twelve years, and then in Drogheda for many more years. In fact, it could be said that she was one of the ‘pillars’ who built up the IMTH.
Sister Veronica was born Brigid Mary Veronica in Ballindoon, Sligo, in 1927, the first in a family of three girls and three boys. Educated by the Marist Sisters in Tubbercurry, Sligo she then trained in institutional management at the College of Catering, Cathal Brugha Street in Dublin. She worked as a catering supervisor in Mullingar County Hospital before joining MMM in 1957.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 07
D.O.B.: 10.02.1903
First Profession: 06.01.1945
Died: 06.01.1966 Aged: 63 years
One of our founding members, Maeve, known to her family and friends as ‘Golly’, from Co. Galway, first met Marie Martin, the future Mother Mary, on 27 December 1936.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No. 27
D.O.B.: 06.05.1916
First Profession 08.09.1942
Died: 21.07.2009 Aged: 93 years
Catherine Kavanagh came from Newtownmountkennedy in County Wicklow. She was one of six children and the daughter of a local schoolmaster. Catherine was educated in Newtownmountkennedy at the national school and the Holy Faith Convent. In 1936 she began training as an orthopaedic nurse at St. Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh, Dublin.
Sister Mary (Canisius) was born in Galway, Ireland in 1929 and grew up in Tulsk, Co. Roscommon. She attended school in Tulsk and Athlone before joining MMM in 1948. Her sister, Christine, a qualified anaesthetist, also joined MMM, in April 1964.
After profession Mary went to the USA. MMM was just becoming established there and she was part of the first community in Boston, MA, which later moved to Winchester. She completed training as a nurse at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital in Boston in 1954.
Mary Philomena Jones was born in Loughnavalley, Co. Westmeath. After obtaining an MSc and a Higher Diploma in Education at UCD, she worked in Dublin and was in charge of a unit that made penicillin preparations at P.C. Cahill & Co. She developed a formula for penicillin ointment, which was an important breakthrough at that time.
Mary entered MMM in 1946 and her first assignments were assistant novice mistress and guest mistress.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 700
D.O.B. 07.10.1926
First Profession: 03.10.1966
Died: 30.10.1997 Aged: 70 years
From Tulsk, Co. Roscommon, and with a sister, Mary (then Canisius) Jones, already a MMM, Christine entered MMM on 3 April 1964 as a fully qualified doctor and anaesthetist. She worked for several years in the IMTH as medical superintendent. Mother Mary had great confidence in her.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 38
D.O.B. 11.12.1900
First Profession: 02.07.1943
Died: 27.09.1976 Aged: 75 years
Agnes Johnston was a convert to Catholicism when she entered in Rosemount on 15 August 1940.
Nationality: British
Congregational Register No. 328
D.O.B. 10.12.1920
First Profession 08.09.1955
Died: 17.02.2003 Aged: 82 years
Catherine Jennings came from Lancashire in the north of England. She was the second of three daughters. Following her education, she worked for some years as a clerk typist before starting nurse training when she was twenty-one. Once qualified, she worked as a staff nurse and later as a district nurse in Lancashire.
Nationality: Irish
Congregational Register No: 137
D.O.B. 29.08.1912
First Profession: 08.09.1947
Died: 18.08.1978 Aged: 66 years
A native of Farranthomas, Co. Cork, Sheila entered on 8 December 1944. She had trained as a midwife and after first profession was assigned to Nigeria, where she worked for many years in Anua and some of the out-stations, especially Akpa Utong, (founder member).
